October 31, 1925 - March 7, 2019

Arlene Marie Wombacher was born October 31, 1925 to Margaret Magdalena Hofstetter Wombacher and George Stephen Wombacher in Lawrence, Nebraska. She passed away peacefully March 7, 2019, after a beautiful life, and many years with Alzheimer's Disease.

Born and raised in Lawrence, Nebraska, Arlene graduated from Lawrence High School in 1943, and St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, Grand Island, Nebraska, in 1947. Arlene loved to remind everyone that she "met Paul on the Psych Ward" at St. Joseph's Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, while she was a nursing student.

Once married to John Paul Thomassen in 1949, Arlene worked as a registered nurse at Lutheran Hospital and the new Children's Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska. After Paul's graduation from Creighton Medical School in 1950, they moved to Los Angeles where Arlene continued as a nurse at Los Angeles County General Hospital, Queen of Angels Hospital, and St Joseph Hospital, Burbank, CA.

After the birth of their children Paula, Jeff and Terri, Arlene became a very busy wife, mother, cook, baker, seamstress and gardener. Being raised on a farm gave Arlene life skills and common sense evident in motherhood. She embroidered, made the most perfect seams on clothing and costumes for her children and gifts for others, hosted large family dinners, raised vegetables, and became an expert gardener "California-style".

Famous for piling the kids in the station wagon for cross-country journeys each summer to nearly every state, Arlene and Paul continued to be adventurous international travelers, savoring friendships and culture found in Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, Europe, the Holy Land, Australia and many islands.

The family made several moves between Nebraska, San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland and finally Anaheim in 1960, where they lived nearly forty-four years. Next, Arlene and Paul spent ten years in Reno. Jeff, devoted to Mom, felt a special need to live closer in 2012 when he made the move north from Orange County. Arlene and Paul moved to Yuba City, CA, in 2013. We found Golden Years, an excellent residential home in a neighborhood, where Arlene lived six years with the best of care. Terri was very active in Arlene's life in every way.

Known for her empathy, her sweet expressive disposition, letter-writing, impeccable style and manners, beautiful gardens, adorable sense of humor and generosity of spirit, Arlene's hundreds of relatives and friends honored her by creating more than 150 pages for her 80th birthday book in 2005, a project led by Terri. The collection wouldn't fit in the original album, so Terri needed to split the archives into two giant albums. Arlene's 90th birthday, October 31, 2015, brought her a "shower of cards". In October of 2018, ten of us celebrated Arlene's 93rd birthday (and Jeff's 63rd) in the rose garden at Golden Years.

Arlene is preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, John Paul Thomassen MD; her sisters, Norma Murphy and Pearl Schroer; and all four of her brothers, Wilbur (Bert), Raymond (Ray), Delbert (Del), and Matthew (Matt).

Arlene is survived by her sister Leona Detwiler (Tom Detwiler); daughter Paula Thomassen Rector; son Jeffrey Paul Thomassen; and daughter Terri Thomassen Foley; grandchildren Robert Blake Rector (Megan Klenow); great-granddaughter Hazel June Rector and great-grandson Hayden James Rector; Clark Paul Rector (Amy Wells); Erika Foley Cobar (Jose Cobar), great-granddaughter Eva Cobar; Coleman Foley; Austin Foley and Tommy Foley; and Eva's step-brothers David and Ryan Cobar.

We appreciate all the caregiving, frequent visits, cards, flowers, music, photos and greetings over the years from all of you! Special thanks to Arlene's Golden Years caregivers Livia and Claudiu Dejeu and their children Alissa, Brian and Ethan, and caregivers Andriana, June and Leticia. We are forever grateful!

A Viewing will take place Friday, March 15, 2019, from 4-8 PM at Lipp and Sullivan Mortuary, Marysville, with a Rosary starting at 7 PM. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Isidore Catholic Church, Yuba City, on Saturday, March 16, 2019, at 11:00 AM, followed by a reception, to which all are invited. Please feel free to dress in colorful clothing that reminds you of Arlene - to celebrate her life! A private burial will take place Monday, March 18, 2019, at 3:00 PM at Sutter Cemetery.

We will miss our beloved Arlene!

Donations may be sent to The Alzheimers Association at act.alz.org. Tax ID 13-3039601.